Yup - ask low BBall IQ guys like Gerald Green & Javale McGee how hard it is to get playing time despite reasonable skill and obvious physical gifts. You can make a roster being uber athletic with size for the position, but you gotta be smart to get more than bench scraps.
The issue is that we already have all of his strengths covered with other players on the roster, and it is a cascade effect with him joining, we lose a productive big in Black, our most versatile bench player in Pappa goes to the end of the bench and our best post player and off the ball screener in DMo moves to a backup role, not to mention our best young big TJo has nowhere to play when he gets back. This was a mistake, I understand the financial reasons, but it is a chemistry spill, and it hurts the team overall. DD
I think part of the problem is that there are some people who are only looking at his 3 games and ignoring his whole career. If you see it as only a 3 game sample, you can denounce it as a small sample. If you are looking at his season as a whole....well.
They need to return him to the waiver wire. I was hoping he'd need to be in a successful organization, but in the words of The Rock, "this guy absolutely suck!" The Josh Smith experiment is officially over with for me.
Listen, I was never in favor of bringing him here. Ever: But hell, he's here now -- no undoing that. It is what it is. And given that fact, I'm willing to give him more than one practice before I start tossing around I-told-you-sos. If we go another 5 games or so with no improvement at all, I'll accept that my initial perception of him was the correct one.
I've also never been a huge fan of Smith. It's pretty clear he hasn't been good this year and part of last year. But prior to that he was a solid defender and rebounder. He's always been a poor shooter from distance and was known to take boneheaded threes. You can clearly see flashes of his potential (that I agree should have been reached by now). I guess what I'm saying is that I remember the "good" Josh Smith as well as the "bad" and I'm not willing to pass judgement as to which one we acquired. He's already worn both hats. Time will tell which one he'll keep wearing.
Good points, I really want it to work, and hopefully we play him to his strengths (maybe like a Rodman type player) but if not, I'm glad the Rockets got a chance to try and we wouldn't have to discuss the what if's. I agree that we should know after they get some real practices in and some more games if it'll work.
It's easy to toss "told you so", but we are doing it with grief And also.. it could make a difference of how far we can go. 1 game matters.
Aren't you the guy after the grizzlies win that made a thread asking if we are favorites? The knee jerks are strong with this one
Fellow pessimists, give this a chance. I wasn't a fan of Smith before, and I though McHale was one of the worst coaches in the league. But McHale has surprised me this year, and I'm willing to give Smith the same opportunity. In fact, they go together. McHale's challenge is to figure out how to fit Smith into the offense and defense in ways that maximize his skills and minimize his weaknesses. That takes time. Let's watch this experiment over the next couple of months and see what McHale comes up with.
Exactly. I'm willing to give this experiment a fair shake considering how low risk it is. If it falls flat hopefully McHale has learned from his twin towers experiment that you can't ride a sinking ship too long.
I saw a positive Smith the first game. Admittedly he looks like he is thinking way too much out there at this point. I believe Smith will work his way in nicely. It will just take time.
I desperately want to be wrong. Tough break that he got thrown into the mix at a time when we go almost a full month without two consecutive days of practice.
Trade Smith for Dragic if this fails.... OR it works out and we can package some of our excess talent for the Dragon. We are a better team from a trade stand point and can work it out by playoffs. Not worried yet.
With all due respect DD, you are not exactly the best talent evaluator... just off the top of my head you didn't think Kyle Lowry was good.... you loved V-Span and felt he was going to be great..... you were not a huge fan of the Harden trade.... you were in favor or replacing Morey.... and today you said the Rockets should offer Howard and the Pelicans pick for Dwight Howard.... eventhough the Kings would say no, it would get out that the Rockets offered Howard and it would destroy the locker room.
